A Publication of Saint Mary’s Home of Erie December 2013 May each day of your life be filled with the joy of this wonderful season of love. Christmas Mass Schedule Saint Mary’s East • Christmas Eve - 6:30 pm • Christmas Day - 9:45 am Saint Mary’s at Asbury Ridge • Christmas Eve - 6 pm • Christmas Day- 10 am Inside this issue... Around Our Home • A Christmas Message • Awards and Accreditations A sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania Board of TrusteesCaring across the Centuries 125 years Chairperson Barbara Drew Vice Chairperson Daniel Teed Treasurer R. “Art” Lubomski Secretary Denis O’Brien John Barber Rev. Thomas Brooks Chris Coughlin Gerald Dill Thomas Elliott Maudie Ford Russell Forquer Mary Alice Glowacki Sister Mary Herrmann, SSJ Danny Jones Jane Kelsey** MISSION STATEMENT Sister Phyllis McCracken, SSJ James McNamara, Esq. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph and Carol Mingarelle Susan Sutto operated in the Catholic tradition Mary Wingrove Saint Mary’s Home of Erie is committed Colleen Stumpf, Esq.* *Non-voting Board Member to an environment of loving to care where and Legal Counsel primarily seniors, their families, staff and **Non-voting Board Member volunteers participate in fostering an A Continuing Care Retirement atmosphere of community. Community Levels of Care Independent Living Carriage Homes Independent Residential Living/ Personal Care VISION STATEMENT Skilled Nursing Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care Saint Mary’s Home of Erie, through Adult Day Services partnership, networking and referrals will Respite Care Services be a principal enabler to primarily seniors in Short and Long-term Rehabilitative Therapies the Erie Community aiding them in living On-site Nursing Staff including RNs, their lives in a respectful, dignified and LPNs and NAs Catholic and Ecumenical Religious fulfilled manner. Services Social Services Program/Pastoral Care Support Services Nutritional Services Recreational Activities 2 Beauty and Barber Services may-invite-vellum.indd607 1 East 26th Street • Erie, Pennsylvania 16504 • (814) 459-0621 3/27/10 9:14:49 PM President’s Message Remembering Sister Phyllis McCracken, SSJ Past President/CEO WE REMEMBER CHRISTMAS PAST THOSE MEMORIES SEEM TO LAST AND LAST: SANTA AND REINDEER, THE SLEIGH AND THE ELVES CHILDREN CAROLING AND SIMPLY ENJOYING THEMSELVES PRESENTS ALL WRAPPED AND LIGHTS ON THE TREES PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND BUSY AS BEES WARMTH OF A FIREPLACE WITH STOCKINGS TO BE HUNG CANDY CANES, HOT CHOCOLATE AND POPCORN TO BE STRUNG SNOWFLAKES, SNOWMEN, SLEDS AND ICE SKATES COOKIES AND CANDIES ON ORNATE LITTLE PLATES FRIENDS AND FAMILY VISITING FROM NEAR AND FAR RIDES TO SEE THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN OUR FAMILY CAR ADVENT, NATIVITY SETS AND MIDNIGHT MASS THE LONG ANTICIPATED CHRISTMAS IS HERE, AT LAST! Sister Phyllis McCracken, SSJ MS, RN, NHA President/CEO 3 607 East 26th Street • Erie, Pennsylvania 16504 • www.stmaryshome.org Erie’s Choice Awards 2013 – Saint Mary’s Home of Erie was voted Erie’s #1 Choice Retirement Community for the 9th consecutive year!!! We would like to give a big thank you to the Erie community for the support and votes in this year’s Erie’s Choice polls. A Day with the Otters A Pampered Afternoon Asbury Ridge residents recently enjoyed an Residents at Saint Mary’s enjoy a variety of afternoon watching the Erie Otters. The Otters activities, but nail painting is one of the more mascot, Shooter, showed up just in time for a social events. It is usually scheduled several photo opportunity. times a month and has become a great time for residents to visit with each other while having their nails done. Pictured, left to right are, Mary Margaret Gillespie, Saint Mary’s East resident; and Gayle Meyer, Activities Coordinator. 6th Annual Art Show Asbury Ridge resident, Mary Kellogg, is shown standing by two art pieces she had on display at the 6th Annual Asbury Ridge Art Show. Art classes are offered throughout the year and are one of many ways residents can utilize their artistic talents. 4 607 East 26th Street • Erie, Pennsylvania 16504 • (814) 459-0621 Mount Ebal Missionary Baptist Church Choir The Mount Ebal Missionary Baptist Church Choir performed for the residents at Saint Mary’s East in November. Throughout the year many different church groups, choirs and school groups perform for residents at both campuses. Merry Christmas from Saint Mary’s Home of Erie! Saint Mary’s East Saint Mary’s at Asbury Ridge Pictured right are employees and residents from Saint Mary’s during the 2013 Christmas commercial shoot. Saint Mary’s Administration, employees and residents would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 5 607 East 26th Street • Erie, Pennsylvania 16504 • www.stmaryshome.org “The Clothespin Christmas Tree” aint Mary’s at Asbury Ridge resident, Peg Fogle, has a room that has become an attraction for all to see every holiday. ItS is always decorated in celebration of the season and most often highlights some of her own talents from her days as a seamstress. This Christmas, Mrs. Fogle’s room features all the warmth of the Christmas season. From window clings to knick-knacks, the joys of winter and Christmas flow throughout her room. The highlight though, is a very unique Christmas tree. Since the 1970’s, Mrs. Fogle developed a talent for creating Christmas tree ornaments made from clothespins. They are painted and decorated with pieces of fabric, scraps of felt, pipe cleaners and various other items. Each year a new ornament is designed with a unique theme. Some of her handiworks include Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Raggedy Ann & Andy and characters from the Wizard of OZ. In the spirit of giving, Mrs. Fogle assembles dozens of the same ornament each year to give as gifts to family and friends. Dating From left, Peg Fogle and her son, Tom Fogle, sit by back to at least 1975, each accomplishment is thought to be a the “Clothespin Christmas Tree.” Tom helps his Mom matter of “mental therapy” as she calls it; relaxing to the soul festively decorate her room for many different occasions. and pleasing to others. All of these ornaments are memorable to those who received them. The employees and residents at Asbury Ridge have all come to appreciate Mrs. Fogle’s talent and look forward to seeing how her room is decorated next. Pictured are some of the clothespin ornaments that Mrs. Fogle has made throughout the years. 6 607 East 26th Street • Erie, Pennsylvania 16504 • (814) 459-0621 EXPECTANT WAITING The Lord’s Prayer, common to all Christians, holds a special place in the Church’s Liturgy. Following this prayer the Presider continues: Sr. Mary Fromknecht, SSJ “We wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ”. This expectant waiting is the essence of the WAITING we celebrate every Advent. The Advent readings are filled with energy and excitement – a true testament to the message of FREEDOM which Jesus came to earth to deliver. This energy and excitement permeates the air here at Saint Mary’s Home. The buildings – inside and out - sparkle with decorations; the music of the Season rings throughout. The myriad of groups who come to entertain our Residents are a welcome addition to the many activities and parties that mark the Christmas Season. Through it all there is the expectation of Jesus’ message of joyful hope. How do you as a person live out Jesus’ message? How do we as the “People of God” deliver the message to others? That is our challenge, not only during the Christmas Season, but every day of the year. By Baptism we have been given the gifts necessary to be the bearers of HOPE and PEACE in our world. Let us truly BE this gift to our world during these holidays. A very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to all! HOPE PEACE 7 607 East 26th Street • Erie, Pennsylvania 16504 • www.stmaryshome.org 85 Uses for Grandma Flo’s Scrubbies Pictured above is the commemorative book her family made for her 85th birthday. lorence Konkol moved into Saint Mary’s East F6 months ago. She is known by her friends and family as someone who likes to keep herself busy. Mrs. Konkol attends most of the activities and programming offered by Saint Mary’s. She keeps a calendar of events on her refrigerator so she does not miss out on anything she finds interesting. What is intriguing is what she does in her “spare” time. Mrs. Konkol explains, “I need to keep busy. I do not like sitting idle. When I was in my early 60’s, I worked at Loblaws Supermarket and a customer brought in a crochet dish scrubbie. I asked her how to make them and the rest was history.” Mrs. Konkol found that making the Pictured is Florence Konkol crocheting a scrubbie. scrubbies not only helped her pass time, but became a hobby that touched almost everyone she met. “Making them gave me something to do and my family and friends loved receiving them. They had many different uses for them. I need things to keep me busy and sitting and watching a big TV is not something that interests me,” explained Mrs. Konkol. 8 607 East 26th Street • Erie, Pennsylvania 16504 • (814) 459-0621 When Mrs. Konkol started making scrubbies she was able to purchase the netting at 3 yards for $1. Today, 1 yard costs $2.49 unless she finds a sale. She makes scrubbies for St. Stanislaus Church fundraisers, her grandson’s baseball team, the Doctor’s office, the hairdresser and as gifts for countless others. She even had a request to make them as shower gifts for a friend’s wedding.